Rajon Rondo Continues to Chase Assist Record Even in Losses

There’s a relentless obsession to Rajon Rondo’s chase of double-figure assist games. The Boston Celtics’ point guard is solely focused on the mark, and so is head coach Doc Rivers, who put Rondo back in a blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons last night so that he could rack up more assists. Per the Boston Herald: “Rajon Rondo recorded his 34th consecutive game with double-figure assists last night, and if he goes on to pass John Stockton (37) and Magic Johnson (46) on the all-time streak list, Celtics coach Doc Rivers should get an assist. Rivers left Rondo on the floor late in the C’s 103-83 blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons, allowing him to get four fourth-quarter dishes — all to Jared Sullinger, with the 10th and last coming with just 51.3 seconds to go. ‘Yeah, why not?’ said Rivers, acknowledging that he kept Rondo, who had missed Thursday’s loss in Brooklyn with a twisted ankle, out there for a reason. ‘You guys keep talking about it, so I figured I’d give him a shot at it. It’s funny; the harder we tried, the worse we got at that. When I called a timeout (with 1:38 left), I said, ‘Guys, we’re going to lose the game, by the way. Let’s not play crazy, but if we can get him (one) more, let’s do it. And if not, that’s it.’ First time we’ve done that.’ Rondo appreciated the gesture. ‘It’s good to have a coach that has your back like that,’ he said. […] ‘I don’t know,’ said Rondo. ‘I’ll look back on it one day and realize what I’m doing, but obviously I’m upset about the loss. The streak’s alive, but it is what it is. I don’t think much about it. Like I said, I’ll look back one day and realize what I’ve done. I didn’t really watch it when Stockton (had his run in 1989), and I don’t think I was born when Magic … no, I’m just playing. I was born, but I was 4 or 5 years old maybe. It’s been a long time since this type of streak has happened, so it’s a great honor and it’s a credit to my teammates.’ (Actually, Johnson’s run in 1984 did come two years before Rondo’s birth.) As for staying out just to go for the streak last night, he said, ‘You don’t know what happened when Stockton got his. You don’t know if he stayed in the game and they were up 30 or down 30.'”